Lee said after that experience, he's gotten better at what he does, while praising the media for making public servants better by challenging them.

As he has often said since his election, Lee vowed to make state government more open and transparent. To that effect, he issued an executive order and vowed to make his administration's position on legislation available to the public.

Noting the hundreds of exemptions to the state's open records law, Lee vowed to support a review of the long list.

"We want to make access to information easier, and I'm committed to that," he said.

Lee highlighted many components of his legislative agenda, include bolstering the state's support for vocational and technical education and criminal justice reform.

At one point, he tried to tie the changes in workforce needs in various industries to the ongoing changes in journalism.

"We need to create and adapt our education system to meet that changing need," he said. "Changes in the way that we do our educational system, K-12, apply to the journalism and the press industry as well."

Lee closed out his remarks reminding the press association about the importance of the industry, repeating the famous phrase that journalism is the first rough draft of history.

"We are in that process of making history," he said. "That's why what you do is so important."

After the event, Lee declined to weigh in whether he supported a new measure proposed by House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Cottontown, that an open government advocate fears would limit the public's access to records.

"We have a process for bill review, and we'll look at the specifics of it," he told reporters, while vowing to maintain access to government records.

Reach Joel Ebert at jebert@tennessean.com or 615-772-1681 and on Twitter @joelebert29.